Cuimin rides and looks east.

CUIMIN.

O, see, he's coming.

Iosagan enters---a little, brown-haired boy, a white coat on him, and he without shoes or cap like the other boys. The boys welcome him.

THE BOYS.

God save you, Iosagan!

IOSAGAN.

God and Mary save you!

He sits among them, a hand of his about Daragh's neck; the boys begin playing again, gently, without noise or quarrelling. Iosagan joins in the game. Matthias rises with a start on the coming of Iosagan, and stands gazing at him. After they have played for a spell he comes towards them, and then stands again and calls over to Coilin.

MATTHIAS.

Coilin!

COILIN.

What do you want?

MATTHIAS.

Come here to me. [(Coilin rises and goes to him.)] Who is that boy I see among you this fortnight back---he, yonder, with the brown head on him---but take care it's not red he is; I don't know is it black or is it fair he is, the way the sun is burning on him? Do you see him---him that has his arm about Daragh's neck?

COILIN.

That's Iosagan.

MATTHIAS.

Iosagan?

COILIN.

That's the name he gives himself.

MATTHIAS.

Who are his people?

COILIN.

I don't know, but he says his father's a king.

MATTHIAS.

Where does he live?

COILIN.

He never told us that, but he says his house isn't far away.

MATTHIAS.

Does he be among you often?

COILIN.

He does, when we do be amusing ourselves like this. But he goes from us when grown people come near. He will go from us now as soon as the people begin coming from Mass.

The boys rise and go, in ones and twos, when they have finished the game.

COILIN.

O! They are going jumping.

He runs out after the others. Iosagan and Daragh rise and go. Matthias comes forward and calls Iosagan.

MATTHIAS.

Iosagan![(The Child turns back and comes towards him at a run.)] Come here and sit on my knee for a little while, Iosagan. [(The Child links his hand in the old man's hand, and they cross the road together. Matthias sits on his chair and draws Iosagan to him.)] Where do you live, Iosagan?

IOSAGAN.

Not far from this my house is. Why don't you come to see me?

MATTHIAS.

I would be afraid in a royal house. They tell me that your father's a king.

IOSAGAN.

He is High-King of the World. But there's no call for you to be afraid of Him. He's full of pity and love.

MATTHIAS.

I fear I didn't keep His law.

IOSAGAN.

Ask forgiveness of Him. I and my Mother will make intercession for you.

MATTHIAS.

It's a pity I didn't see You

before this, Iosagan. Where were You from me?

IOSAGAN.

I was here always. I do be travelling the roads and walking the hills and ploughing the waves. I do be among the people when they gather into My house. I do be among the children they do leave behind them playing on the street.

MATTHIAS.

I was too shy, or too proud, to go into Your house, Iosagan: among the children, it was, I found You.

IOSAGAN.

There isn't any place or time the children do be making fun to themselves that I'm not with them. Times they see Me; other times they don't see Me.

MATTHIAS.

I never saw You till lately.

IOSAGAN.

All the grown people do be blind.

MATTHIAS.

And it has been granted me to see You, Iosagan.

IOSAGAN.

My Father gave Me leave to show Myself to you because you loved His little children. [(The voices are heard of the people returning from Mass.)] I must go now from you.

MATTHIAS.

Let me kiss the hem of Your coat.

IOSAGAN.

Kiss it.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 482